This invention relates to aircraft fuel tanks.
Aircraft in general and military aircraft in particular are limited as to their operating range due to limitations in the amount of fuel carried on board. The operating range of aircraft can be extended by adding external fuel tanks to the aircraft. These external tanks are generally made detachable or jettisonable so that, depending upon circumstances, the tanks can be easily removed or discarded.
An important factor in the selection of external fuel tanks is the weight of the tank itself. Such weight is a non-payload weight. Each unit of weight of the external fuel tank means a loss in operational efficiency, in terms either of operating range or of operating characteristics of the aircraft. Accordingly, there exists a need for lower weight external aircraft fuel tanks.
These external aircraft fuel tanks should be useable at a temperature in the range of -65.degree. to +200.degree. F. and at a pressure in the range of -5 to +100 psi.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved external aircraft fuel tank.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for fabricating an external aircraft fuel tank.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following disclosure and the appended claims.